OffMyLeash AN: *clap...clap...clap* Bravo people. I'll admit a lot of your reviews surprised me. A lot of you have strong reasons why this story should stay and what could be improved on...you were honest and thoughtful in your response.
In truth, how you responded to the note, should be the same response you tackle future chapters with.
Don't get me wrong I'm not opposed to criticism and giving us helpful feedback to improve the story, but I am opposed to when personal preference gets confused with constructive criticism. Part of my major (all of it actually) involves viewing other people's work and offering input. That being said I am aware that there are things I am automatically biased against (Like if a person used red instead of blue because that's what I would have used) however, I don't let what I would /not/ have done be a reason to trash the piece. Just because its not something I would have done doesn't make it any less than what it is, nor does it deserve to be downed based on my personal preferences.
We've established things that happened in previous chapters but as stated those moments were needed and kudos to the reviewers who understood that (despite outlandish methods used to convey the point). I can't speak for FC but if given the chance I would not go back and change anything because it works to show that characters aren't perfect and that their methods won't always be well received (which is OKAY).
So, if you want to see this story continue to evolve tell us in a constructive way, not through whining (I'm going to stop reading and Shepard would need do that and wahh wah wah). And, if possible can we get reviews that aren't always talking about Shepard? She isn't the only character you know, though that's hard to tell considering a majority of the reviews focus on her (especially within this arc) and in truth it's a little annoying. In all for having a character that sticks out but geez I'll even take a line about another character if just to know how you feel about the other characters and their responses and interactions within the world and with the crew members.
Finally, again while not speaking for FC I don't think guest reviews should be turned off. Yes, people troll reviews (as they do with anything on the Internet) but I personally don't think it would be fair to guest reviewers who genuinely like the story and want us to know how they feel about it.
Yeah so that's my say about all of this. It's good to know that you all are enjoying the story-especially considering how this thing jumped in reviews in only 4/5 days. And if this not comes off as sarcastic or angry or as of I'm calling you 'a bunch of whiny little twats' sorry but OffMyLeash is not in the happiest of places right now and I don't think I will be for a few days ^^; but I still wanted to write this note anyway.
False Canadian AN: Hawke, she's talkin' about Hawke. Anyway, thanks for all the love and support guys, I was really only expecting five or six to continue with the flow of previous averages and we revived a massive count of 37, I wasn't even aware we had that many readers. Thanks guys, for the love and support. While a small part of me wishes to edit, I've decided not to, what's done is done, and we're not even halfway through this story. (So I'll continue on working on my N7 Armour for this year's conventions)
I've decided to enable this weird new anon moderation thingy, so trolls begone! And regular anon reviewers may continue reviewing.
Thanks again, and let us resume our regular scheduled program. (With a much slower update pace.) Because I'm a jackass who waited until the month the con before to work on my goddamn armour!
Gaburichomp!
"Goddess..." Liara breathed out as she entered into her cabin, with her bondmate following behind her. "I haven't been asked that many questions...was I like that when we first met?"
"No... not really." Shepard smiled. "But when I asked questions you when straight into your people's mating patterns. You didn't this time. So..." Shepard stopped, hands wrapping around Liara from behind. "That's an improvement on your part."
Her words causing Liara to flush. "And to think...our children will be just as curious," she remarked with a chuckle. "I should have directed their attention toward you."
Shepard chuckled softly as her hands rose up to undo the collar of Liara's jacket. "Yes, but they are going to be the daughters of two of the galaxy's mightiest heroes, and their large extended Normandy family will be there to teach them." Shepard said softly. "Ashley and Garrus, to shoot, Tali, to hack, Uncle Urdnot? To headbutt."
"Uncle Joker to teach them humour." the pilot supplied.
Shepard raised her hand slightly. Disabling the camera and comms that watched over the Shadow Broker's Lair, locking the door at the same time. "See, we won't have to worry. I bet Sam will even teach them how to play chess."
"They'll have the galaxy at their little blue fingertips," the marine added. Shepard's name, her first name, escaped Liara's lips as the Commander's lips touched the blue skin of the asari's neck.
"They'll be the most valuable children in the galaxy," the scientist stated as she leaned back into the touch.
"Indeed." Shepard whispered against Liara's skin as she started working off the Shadow Broker's jacket. "The galaxy we saved for them."
Liara chuckled. "And..." Turing in her lover's hold. "They'll be the most protected."
"As long as I still breathe." Shepard whispered before capturing Liara's lips.
Her hands moving to Liara's ass and hefting the older woman up. The Shadow Broker's legs coming to wrap around her midsection; as she led the two of them towards the bed to continue their activity.
Carver looked up when he heard footsteps. He wasn't sure how long he'd been imprisoned here; but, he'd come to learn that yelling and shouting yielded no results.
So, the Templar had contented himself with the Chant of Light.
"Right this way ma'am." said a voice Carver faintly recognized. That Williams woman. Eventually he saw the woman and his own mother.
"I'll leave you two to it," Ashley said, sensing that this was a moment not for her. She turned and moved to wait in the following room, still within earshot.
"Mother." Carver finally spoke after a moment of silence.
"Carver," Leandra responded as she approached the glass. "I think, you and I need to talk," though it sounded rhetorical, it was not.
She was stating a fact.
"What is there to talk about?" Carver pretended not to know what she meant, as he turned away from her. "I have already seen enough." he added, in a way that was meant to dismiss her.
Out of all the people who wanted to speak to him-which the list was already short-his mother was the last person he wanted to see, let alone talk to. Not that he did not wish to speak with her; but, it was rather he did not wish to have this particular conversation with her.
She shook her head. "My son, there is plenty to talk about," she responded. "Starting with you shooting your sister for starters."
He said nothing for a few moments. "Just...go away mother," he requested with a sigh, back still to her.
"Carver," Leandra repeated her only son's name. This time he did not acknowledge her. She shook her head as a sigh escaped her own lips. "Very well, I will leave you then," she said as she headed for the exit to the room. "You're trying to escape from your difficulties, and there never is any escape from difficulties, never. They have to be faced and fought. If you build the guts to do something, anything, then you better save enough to face the consequences.
You can run but sooner or later you run out of places to run to," the golden eyed mother told him. "Because, my son, the only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.
The risk to remain tight in a bud is more painful than the risk it takes to blossom."
Once she was finished speaking she left the room, nodding to Williams on her way out, before she took to the stairs and headed back up to the higher levels. Ashley leaned back and forth between the two rooms for a moment before taking a step in to stand before Carver's cell.
"I don't know you, you don't know me." she started looking at the boy, at least Shepard was nice enough to give him fresh clothing. "What is it that you have against my society?"
He was silent so long that she thought he was going to ignore her as well. Just as she turning to leave the room he gave an answer. "Your...society...is filled with abominations, you deny are not so, and magics which you claim are not so.
Everything about your society is what the Chant of Light preaches against, because it is due to those things that the Maker turned his gaze away from us," he told her. "Because man attempted and succeeded in treading where only the dead were allowed."
"I''m sorry..." Ashley scratched the back of her head as she interrupted him. "But when did you start mixing Religion and Mythology?"
A frown came upon his face as he turned around to look at her. "I speak the truth," he stated firmly.
Ashley shook her head softly. "Kid, you know there are countless beliefs out there, right? Yes, I won't hate on your for being a sound believer in your faith, but..." she paused. "There is being a believer, and there are extremists." she crossed her arms. "You have to take a step back, look at the world beyond your own. Believe in your own God, yes, but understand that there are other deities out there as well."
"I am aware that there are other beliefs out there. Where I hail from there are many," Carver informed her, slightly surprised that she wasn't hopping down his throat like a majority of the others that served under Shepard's command. "And the Chantry teaches that the Maker will return his gaze upon us once the Chant of Light is sang from all the corners of the world." he told her, as he folded his arms. "We suffer because mages wanted to touch heaven while they still breathed and sit upon the Maker's throne.
As punishment, the once Golden City turned black and they were cast back to the land as the first Darkspawn and have been a plague among us ever since," the younger of the two added. "Magic is meant to serve man, not control or rule over him."
"I need to stop you right there." Ashley raised her hand before dropping it gently and sighing in defeat. "Do you know why man wanted to fly? Because we wanted to touch the heavens. There are countless stories telling us against it, most that I do not even know, get too close to the sun and you'll burn. We still did it, now we're no longer bound by our homeworld.
Carver, there are times you need to look beyond your bible and accept what is placed before you-"
"But that's just it!" he shouted, cutting her off. He sounded completely frustrated, and the look on his face helped. "Ever since I have been brought to this...place," gesturing around to not only the cell but the ship, and their style of living in general. "Everyone has been at my throat for not accepting what is before me.
I am attacked for my faith and for not simply swallowing everything I have seen," he pointed out. "Yet, no one has attempted to see things from my point of view. I am not the only one of my homeworld to think as such. There, my sisters are the ones who are shunned because they do not think like the rest of us.
So tell me why should I simply accept what is presented to me when everything I have been taught is to be cautious and untrusting of what you show me?" came the question as his golden eyes focused on her. "How can you simply assume it should be easy, or that I should bite my tongue in the face of it all?"
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Ashley quoted almost sourly.
"That was one of the first things God has taught us, and from the stories I've heard, you have done nothing but worship your God. We don't care if you're accepting of us or not, but you have shown no compassion for your siblings or the Captain of this ship." she banged against the bars of the cell once. "I know it takes time to look beyond the teachings of the church, and I'm not asking you to forget them because of what we have, but to remember what else you have been taught. Your entire religion cannot be focused on the containment of mages surely."
"It is the Chantry's responsibility to spread the Chant of Light to all four corners of the world, even the non-humans, because they need saving and have turned even further from the Maker's grace than humans have," the younger man explained to her. "It is the Templar Order that focuses on mages. Not only does our duty require us to hunt apostates and maleifcar, and watch over the mages within the Circle we also serve as defenders.
We are an army unto ourselves, being well-equipped, highly disciplined and devoted to the destruction of non-believers in the name of the Maker," he continued. "This is our task. This is our burden and it is not for the weak of heart or faith."
"Also, what you said...I am unfamiliar with what you chanted," Carver confessed as he searched his memory to be certain. "It does not exist within the Chant of Light. What is it?"
"The New Testament, Gospel of Mark." Ashley responded casually. "Not that I have the entire bible memorized, I'm not that crazy."
Considering how you defended Udina, I'd say that's debatable, Joker said dryly over the comm system.
Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay, so Skipper and I are pretty much in the same insanity boat in the SpecTRe Kiddy Pool." she waved her hand slightly. "I'm just trying to say, there are different religions out there, but all of them pretty much have the same rules, commandments, if you may, so, does your Chant of Light have one?"
The imprisoned templar just looked at her strangely. "Commandments?" he echoed the word as if it were foreign to him, and in a way it was.
"Oh dear Lord." Ashley sighed as she paced around. "Is your Chantry entirely based around the Chant of Light and mages? That... that's not a way of life, that's a doctrine. I think..." she paused. "Honour thy mother and thy father?" she tested the waters."
The male Hawke just stared at her,giving her a look that asked if those words should mean something to him.
"Thou shalt not kill, steal or commit adultery?" she asked again, skirting around the commandments about one god and false gods.
"Should what you say have some type of meaning to me?" Carver asked, noticing how her pacing had picked up speed. "I already told you what both the Chantry and the Templar Order stand for and expect of their followers and those who take their vows."
"I can't do this... God, I can't do this." Ashley muttered to herself as she looked at Carver. "This is why I don't like talking religion Commander." she hissed looking up at the ceiling. "Remind me to never go near a Chantry if we ever visit Kirkwall." she stopped pacing for a moment and adjusted the collar of her jacket, suddenly cluing in. "Garrus told me about what happened between you and Bethany, does this entire conversation we just had have to do with it?"
Her question caught him off guard. Not only her asking it, but also how she didn't immediately want to kill him for his action toward his youngest sister. He couldn't help shifting on his feet and casting his eyes away from her.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair-the same action that Sabrina did before she attempted to answer something heavy. "You must understand, I grew up surrounded by magic, not only is Bethany a mage but our father was as well," he informed her. "While I never truly understood it, I never saw it as something to be feared...until we came to Kirkwall.
During our first year in the city I saw the darker side of magic from the blood mages that infest the city. They use even their own blood, or the blood of others to fuel their spells-making them more powerful-and allowing them to summon demons or control the mind of another," came the explanation. "However, using blood magic is treacherous because it opens the Veil fully and allows demons to enter into the realm of the living.
The Chantry has gone through great lengths to ban blood magic, suppressing study and condemning uses, and hunt relentlessly for apostates because they feel that any mage left unsupervised either by the Chantry or the Templars they will eventually succumb to the use of blood magic."
"I think I understand what you are saying, but at the same time, I see that it's all based off assumption." Ashley responded. "Let's put this into context. Let's say Blood Magic was a gun, seeing that you are familiar with it. A weapon that can be used to protect, to hunt, to harm innocents. Just because someone owns a gun, will that automatically mean they will become a killer?"
The same can be said of the weapons the Hawke siblings possess, EDI chimed in. The weapons serve multiple functions, but does that mean the owners of the weapons will go and kill innocents?
Carver was silent. He'd never really thought about it that way before; it...it made sense. "No," he answered after a few moments. "Just because we all possess weapons does not mean we'll be killers. However," he continued before Ashley had a chance to speak. "Unlike Bethany, Sabrina and I can put our weapons away...our youngest sister cannot put away her magic."
"That does not make a difference." Ashley put her foot down, so to speak. "You possess the weapon like how your sister possess magic, like how I possess a gun, how Shepard has her tech and biotics. You have it, you can use it. doesn't matter if the safety is on, or if it's sheathed." she shook her head. "The way your laws see it, the moment you possess magic, you are automatically a killer."
"Because they are forever connected to the Fade!" Carver shouted as he began to pace. "If they weren't connected to it even while awake, if magic wasn't responsible for the blight and the Maker turning his gaze away from us, then the Circle wouldn't be needed and-"
"Take God out of the equation!" Ashley snapped. "You can't say that everything is God's will!" she snarled. "I am a believer in my faith, yes, but there are times where it is not His doing! It's mankind! So answer my question! Without using God as an excuse!"
"Fear!" he shouted, turning suddenly to look at the second human SpecTRe. "That is why mages are hunted down and forced to submit to being controlled!" he answered. "As to what the Chantry teaches, or what the Order represents I can honestly say I don't know how to feel about it because the truth is, I did what I did not out of fear, not because I've seen what mages are capable of, but because I wanted to hurt my sister!" he admitted with a mighty roar, panting heavily as he confessed to his true motives.
Ashley was silent as she took a step back, like an interrogator who had just won her match.
"And you wonder why Shepard doesn't like you, why the rest of the crew is against you." she spoke softly. "Shepard never had a true family, but she had those who came in at a close second." she started to say. "Two years ago she told me what had happened during one of our long, drawn out conversations we used to have on the SR-1. She used to have someone she saw as a younger sister in the old group of, runaways, she grew up with." she explained. "All of them were outlaws you could say, and towards the end one of them turned in that friend of hers for his own personal benefit.
She killed him with her own hands before fleeing to the Alliance." Ashley told him. "So think, what do you think Bethany reminds her of?"
"...the girl," he whispered, earning a nod from the Lt. He chuckled and shook his head, "I did what I did without a thought to how anyone else would feel. I didn't care how losing her youngest daughter would hurt mother, after she and father had spent their entire lives protecting Bethany from templars and a life within the Circle. I didn't care how being brought to the Circle, especially after living an entire life of freedom would affect Bethany, even though I was aware of her fear of someday being captured. Didn't even think of your leader.
All I cared about was hurting my sister, and I knew that was through Bethany, because Sabrina is, and always will be, sympathetic toward mages because of our background," he remarked. "I feel she allows her sympathies to blind her toward the dangers...some...of them pose, and I knew going for Bethany would be a powerful blow, and joining the Templars would only add to that."
Another sigh escaped him as he leaned back against a wall before sliding down onto the floor.
Ashley moved to sit down on the floor in front of him. "The Commander has made an offer to your younger sister. To allow her to escape the Circle and join the Normandy family. If you know what's right for her, you will not stop her."
Carver said nothing, simply allowing her words to roll around in his head.
"I have three younger sisters Carver. I'll do everything and anything in my power to protect them, just like your older sister. Are you going to do the same, or are you going to let your feelings towards your older sister blind you?"
He turned away from her. "If it is all the same to you...I am finished speaking for the time being," he told her. "There are...many things on my mind," he added. Things that were there due to their conversation.
"If you want to talk again, I'm here on the ship, just ask EDI to call for me, a lot of us on this ship are listeners, as dysfunctional as this family is." Ashley said as she stood up and left, leaving Carver alone with his thoughts.
Sabrina paused in her task of shovelling food into her mouth. "You're staring Serah," she pointed out the woman in the S1 uniform, who had entered into the mess hall not that long ago.
Ashley had taken a seat directly across from her and just sat there, quietly observing.
"Is there something I can help you with?" came the question, as she rammed the forkful into her mouth.
"I was talking with your brother." Ashley said curtly. "I think I got more out of him than anyone else on this ship has."
The younger woman swallowed. "I'm glad he has found someone to talk to," sounding nothing but genuine with her words. "We all need someone to talk to," she added.
"I know this isn't really my place to ask. I know Shepard keeps a rather open policy but the Alliance doesn't." Ashley sighed. "I believe in God, your brother, the Maker and you, I've heard your say Creators here and there." she started to list. "We've all heard Liara swear 'by the Goddess, Turians and Quarians have their own belief systems as well.
I just want to know, what are the major religions your people have?"
"For humans it is the Chantry, its followers known as Andrastians," the rogue answered. "For the elves, they are considered to be pagan because of their lifestyles and their belief in the 'Creators', while the dwarves are seen as venerate because they believe in 'The Stone', and the Qunari are followers of the 'Qun'...the list goes on really," came the additional comment. "At best, the Chantry is seen as the major religion in Thedas at least and they feel all other religions are very...sinful, I guess would be the term, and see it as their job to convert all others to their belief."
"No. It's fair." Ashley said. "There is a commandment stated that we cannot believe in another God but our one true God, for the others are false." she told Hawke. "But we humans have countless deities."
"Deities are the elves thing," Sabrina responded as she took in another three forkfuls. "Did you really come here to talk religion with me?" she asked curiously. "Not that I mind or anything but it's just so odd of a thing to discuss I suppose."
"I'm trying to get a grasp on your brother, and to see if the stories I've been told were blown out of proportion or not. He is quick to say things were the Maker's will, when really, it was not God's fault." Ashley said. "I did tell him about Shepard's offer."
The tattooed female paused in her eating. She then placed an elbow on the table, before resting her head on her hand. "In order to better understand Carver, you have to first understand our religious history," she told the older woman. "Since you mentioned the Maker I take it he told you some of the religious beliefs?"
"Honesty, I could hardly call it a religion, the way he described it to me." Ashley admitted. "Everything was mages this, darkspawn that. Nothing about what good the Maker has done for His people...
It was like... what would have happened if Hitler wrote the Bible." she joked idly.
"I cannot say I am familiar with the terms you are using Serah," the light skinned woman admitted sheepishly. "But, I do have books if you wish to read them. It would help you understand better than I can explain them.
It would serve as a starting point at least."
"It's fine, I rather not." Ashley said as she stood up. "I've had enough religion debates to satisfy me until the end of the war. Hopefully the Commander will be back soon from that mining company and we can get back to what really needs to be done."
"Blueberry," Hawke called as she pounded on Liara's door. "Blueberry are you in there?" she called as she continued her knocking. The door wouldn't open and the holographic lock was still glowing a bright angry red. She started pounding at the door again as Garrus came out of the Main Battery, having heard the noise.
"If she hasn't answered, she's either in a call or not in the room." Garrus crossed his arms.
"I believe the doctor went down to engineering," Chakwas supplied as she stepped out of the medbay, also due to the pounding. "I think she had an interview with Miss Allers if I recall her saying correctly."
Garrus gave a nod. "Then that's where you're likely to find her Hawke," the turian said, turning his gaze back to the Fereldan.
"Why does Blueberry always lock her door?" Sabrina asked him as she prepared to walk in the direction of the elevator. "I think Goldie Locks is the only person who has been inside.
What's in there?" she asked curiously, eyeing the door and wondering how long it would take her to get the lock open.
"That's a holographic magnetic lock there Hawke." Garrus said pointing at the door. "Shepard's creation, you'll have a hard time breaking through that."
"As an Information Broker, Doctor T'Soni has a fair bit of sensitive equipment, and many secrets held." Chakwas said "If you're not allowed in, you're not allowed in."
The rogue nodded but she was not deterred from the information. If anything, she was just made even more curious by what was on the other side of Liara's door. "I'll go check Engineering," she said before taking her leave.
"Excellent Doctor T'Soni, getting a larger insight on the Protheans is just what I needed."
"It was no problem Miss Allers." Liara smiled softly in return. "A little history here and there is a nice change to any form of programming."
The reporter nodded. "And the viewers will love it as well," she added as she typed onto a data pad.
"What is this?" Came the question, gaining the two females attention, as they saw Hawke. Who was poking curiously at the camera that floated around, completely fascinated by it.
"Ah, the humans I can, in no way, talk about." Diana smiled. "That is a video camera."
Sabrina poked at the lens, watching as the device lowered a bit from the touch. "What does it do?" head moving to follow it as it floated around her. Just as curious about her as she was about it.
"It records and plays back footage." Liara said. "Much like what you saw from Shepard's Helm Cam."
"Oh, if only I didn't have that restriction on me," Allers commented as she observed Hawke. "Humans who exist on another planet that don't come from Earth. That's right up there with the discovery of the Reapers," she added. "Talking about being the most enviable reporter in the galaxy."
"Sadly it's been covered up by the Alliance." Liara said. "It's been designated a non-habitable."
"Doesn't mean I can't pick the kid's brain while she's here," Allers responded.
"Chakwas told me you were down here Blueberry," Sabrina said having lost interest in the camera, now focusing on the asari. "I wanted to talk to you," the human added still looking a tad sheepish.
"Mind if I take notes?" Diana asked, Liara waved her off.
"What about?"
A shrug. "Anything really," came the response.
A silence between the three of them.
"You're uncomfortable," Sabrina stated, taking in not only Liara's response but the slight drop in her shoulders. "I will go elsewhere then. I did not mean to-"
"No, no it's... it's fine. We can go to the upper decks." Liara said
"Hey no need to go running off now," Allers said with a grin as she eyed Hawke like a vulture. "No harm in conversations among friends," her investigative journalism itching to come out. Shepard had forbidden her from mentioning the Hawkes, but she hasn't forbidden her from getting to know them. "So..." Allers began, gaining attention.
"Hawke..." she continued. "You must be around... 26, 28? How long have you been active...what is it you do?"
The tattooed female shook her head. "I am only 22," she informed the reporter. "As for the rest of your question...I do not understand it."
"22. That's as surprising as Doctor T'Soni's 109." Allers smiled. "What is your profession?"
Hawke have her a curious look. "I am a rogue," she answered.
"Like an N7 Shadow Infiltrator." Liara clarified. "More swords, less bullets."
"Rumour has it that your sister can perform unusual biotic and tech feats without the aid of Omni-Tools or amps."
"My sister is a mage," Hawke clarified. "And as I am coming to understand, far different from your biotics."
"Goddess..." Liara sighed as the two went on.
"And this is...fun for you?" Bethany inquired as she watched Samantha move a glowing-which the Brit had informed her was holographic-piece forward. "It's so...slow," she pointed out after searching for the proper word.
"Of course." Sam smiled. "I like the challenge, keeps you on your toes." she said as the VI moved the opposing piece. "It's a great strategy game, unless you're Commander Shepard, she more of the charging Krogan-Type."
"I still cannot understand the purpose of this game," the mage confessed as she tried once more to follow along but still ended up lost, as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Why does it take so long to move? And why do the little pieces only go forward one time but the bigger pieces can go everywhere? Shouldn't they all be able to move the same way and-"
"Bethany." Sam called her name to stop her from continuing. "That's what's make this a challenge. Tabletop warfare on an eight by eight grid. It's only take so slow because of the bloody VI!" she kicked the table once as her knight moved to capture a pawn.
A light blush came onto the younger woman's cheeks. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm just not used to something so slow. It's always fast and rapid where I come from," she explained a tad shyly.
"No, no, the game is much faster with a proper timer and a solid board." Sam said, "Unless you're talking about other strategy games."
A shake of the head. "I have never seen any game like this before from where I hail from," she told the dark skinned woman. "I don't think it even exists. Not surprising. The people of the land are more action and fighting than sitting down and staring really hard at the pieces like you do."
"Hey!" Sam took mock offence at that. "What? You'd rather play Go-Fish?"
Bethany gave her a curious look. "You...want to go fishing?" she asked slowly, clearly not understanding the quip.
"Wow..." Sam showed an expression of surprise. "We have much to teach you." The VI taking the time to move it's rook forward.
Check mate, it said, drawing the comm's specialist's attention.
"What!? No! That can't be right!" she pretty much wailed as she looked over the board. "Damnit! There goes my streak! To a bloody VI!"
Bethany glanced between the wailing Traynor and the board. "Can...can I play?" she asked, gesturing to the other side that was empty. That stopped Traynor in her tracks.
"Yeah, if you want. I can teach you as we go."
The golden eyed female smiled from that as she moved to sit across from the older woman. With a wave of her hand, Samantha reset the game-the pieces returning to their original position and side.
"I've noticed," Bethany began as she watched Traynor make the first move. "Your tongue is different from the others. So where do you hail from?" she asked curiously as Samantha withdrew her hand, signaling it was the youngest Hawke's turn.
"I was born on Horizon, but both my my parents are from London, I went to school there before joining the Alliance full time." Samantha explained.
Following the colony kid's example, Bethany moved a little piece, except she ended up moving it three spaces instead of the one or two allowed when moving them from their original position. "Are Lawndon and Horizon both from Earth?" she asked, looking over at her opponent, though Samantha was more of her teacher since the younger woman had no idea what she was doing.
"No." Sam said as she reached over and moved Bethany's piece back one square. "Pawn's can only move two spaces forward on their first turn, after that, one space forward. They can only attack diagonally." she explained quickly. "I'll turn on the training mode, it will light up what squares you can move to." she said. "London is on Earth, but Horizon is another planet in the Shadow Sea Nebula."
"Sorry," Bethany apologized as Samantha brought up her Omni-Tool and typed on it. When Bethany touched a piece she saw the board light up just like the specialist said; she let it go because it was not her turn. "Do all humans leave earth and go to places like Horizon?" came the next question.
"Most do, some don't." Samantha said. "My parents left because they wanted a quieter life on the Colonies, Earth has become very crowded over the years, everything is developed, if you want a quiet country life, the colonies is the best place to go. Lieutenant Vega was born on Earth, Lieutenant Commander Williams is a colony kid. I believe both Joker and Shepard were spacer kids at birth, but I might be wrong with the Commander."
A nod from the taller woman. "My birth home, Lothering, was quiet," she told the dark skinned female as Samantha thought about her next move. "There weren't many people. It was a relatively small village.
It was very peaceful," she added, a nostalgic smile coming on to her lips as she thought about the place of her birth. Before being taken to the Circle, her brother becoming a templar, before Kirkwall and fleeing from the blight there was Lothering.
Peaceful, unchanging Lothering.
"You might find something like that out in the colonies, once the war is over." Sam said as she moved her knight forward. "They aren't very big, most of them are just farming colonies, but you have to watch out for raiders and mercenaries. Several colonies have fallen to Slavers."
Bethany responded by moving her pawn, on the far left, forward two spaces. "Lothering was peaceful, but my siblings and I were not," the golden eyed woman responded with a chuckle. "We were always off getting into things. I don't think I have a single memory of my sister and brother leaving home clean and not returning dirty and with ripped clothes."
"I am an only child, I don't have any comparable memories." Sam said as she moved another piece forward.
Another chuckle from the mage. "I can't envision my life without them...even Carver, at odds as we may be," she responded as she moved a center rogue forward one space. "Are you close to your parents?"
"I was." Samantha admitted. "I lost my mother when the Collectors attacked Horizon, my father and I would have died too if it wasn't for Shepard's impeccable timing."
"She saved you?" came the inquiry, earning a nod from the specialist. "Not surprising. She and my sister seem to do that quite often," giving the older woman a smile which Traynor returned. "If you don't mind me asking...what happened?"
"I don't know. To be honest with you. I didn't even know it was Shepard who had saved us until I joined the Normandy." she said. "Funny thing was, Lieutenant Commander Williams was there too at the time. The Collectors struck without warning, harvested half of the colony before Shepard chased them out."
"I'm sorry for you loss," Bethany said with sincerity. "But at least Shepard managed to save some people, even if it wasn't all of them."
"It's okay, we're all doing what we can to end this war." Samantha said as she heard the bay doors start to lower on the Normandy as the Kodiak returned to ship. "Looks like Shepard's back."
Golden eyes shifted to the newly returned shuttle. "Do you think it went well?" she asked the comm specialist. Traynor frowned when the doors opened and Shepard was the first one out, looking more upset than anything else.
"No, I don't think it did." she responded as they watched Shepard storm off, not even bothering to removed her armour, with Vega and EDI stepping out of the shuttle not long after her. "That bad huh?"
"There were unforeseen complications," EDI responded as she made her way over to the pair. "Garneau, the real Garneau, had been dead for quite some time. The people of the mining facility have been under indoctrination for the last ten years."
Samantha gasped. "We notified Alliance," Vega spoke up."They'll be sending shuttles to get the works and attempt to help them cope not only with the time jump, but also the war. Can't say it will be an easy road for them," he marine added with a slight shake of his head.
"Not it won't." Samantha sighed. "Ten years? That's unbelievable."
"Whatever it is that we're looking for, is more powerful than any Reaper we've seen." EDI stated. "We must remain on guard."
It was then that Vega noticed the chessboard. "Our little British nerd spreading the love," he teased. "Seriously Sam, is this how you pick up girls? Show them your chessboard?"
"Almost worked on Shepard." Samantha winked before chuckling. "I'm going to go check on the Commander. We can continue the game when we get back." she nodded at Bethany before leaving to follow the Commander.
"Sooo...I take it things didn't go so well down below?" Hawke said as she saw the Commander storm into the mess hall, ending the conversation that she, T'Soni, Allers, and Williams were having.
She also spotted Traynor trailing behind the redhead.
"Garneau's dead!" Shepard snapped throwing her hands up. "This Leviathan thing had the entire goddamn asteroid under some fucked up indoctrination spell for the last ten fucking years! I don't even know what we're hunting anymore!"
Liara was quite to rise from her seat and approach her bondmate. Placing a hand on the woman's armoured covered shoulder in an attempt to sooth the younger woman. "So we have no leads?" came her question, looking at the taller woman.
"We got his files." Shepard admitted. "But we have to find Doctor Bryson's daughter, she's our only hope left." she said. "I just hope she's still alive."
Might I suggest returning to Dr. Bryson's lab? EDI suggested. We might be able to find a lead to her whereabout there.
"EDI does have a point Commander," Williams agreed, backing up the AI's suggestion. "Going back to the start always yields new results."
"Hey, what's this floating ball?" Sabrina asked curiously, as she noticed it appear seemingly out of nowhere.
Hello Hawke, it greeted her, as it floated up to her eye level. I am the personal assistant of Doctor T'Soni. She has many files on you and your family...many of which hold anomalies, such as you come from another race of humans not native to earth and that you are part animal, it said, causing a slight flush to come onto the rogue's cheeks.
Liara was studying them?
My name is-
"Glyph." Liara growled softly. "What did I say about leaving the cabin?"
I detected an anomaly, and further investigation was needed, the drone countered as he scanned over Hawke with a beam.
The same type that was set up before anyone could enter into the CIC.
Anomaly identified, Glyph said. Unusual energy patterns. I will add the data to the appropriate files.
"Forward the new data to my Omni-Tool and get back into the cabin before you start pissing off EDI." Liara muttered.
EDI could use my input, Glyph said as he forwarded the data. Syncing my interface with the ship-
You will not, EDI's voice echoed through the ship and Glyph flashed red.
"That is why you are confined to the cabin." Liara sighed.
"Why is he out here?" Ashley asked, the group shrugged their shoulders as Shepard's Omni-Tool beeped, sighing she pulled up the message and quickly scanned it over before swearing loudly and just storming off again.
"Fuck this! Fuck Cerberus! Joker set course for Eden Prime!" Shepard roared as the pilot acknowledged the request everyone else looking at each other in confusion as Ashley's Omni-Tool beeped, she pulled up the message.
Commander,
Cerberus has attacked Eden Prime and is now occupying the colony. Alliance forces are stretched too thin right now to attempt to liberate the colony, but we're doing what we can to covertly aid the local resistance.
In the process, we've learned that Cerberus has uncovered a major Prothean artifact. We don't know what it is, but it appears to be the reason for the attack on the colony. We need you to infiltrate the colony and recover the artifact.
"Back to where it all began." Ashley spoke softly before closing the message.